Tan Cheng Bock, the chairman of the Progress Singapore Party (PSP), confirmed that he will be contesting in the next General Election (GE), and it will likely be in the West Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC) as he did in 2020.

The 83-year-old was responding to Lianhe Zaobao's queries during his walkabout at West Coast Market Square on the morning of Jul. 22, 2023.

Tan said his party is ready for the next GE regardless of when it would be held.

"The general election is the end goal for politicians, and we cannot sit still and be resigned to fate," Tan told Zaobao reporter.

The former Member of Parliament (MP) also said he is not worried about how the boundaries of the West Coast GRC would be drawn in the next GE.

"I don't know how the [boundaries of] the West Coast GRC will be [drawn] for the next GE. Let them draw. We are ready," shared Tan.

During GE2020, the PSP team spearheaded by Tan garnered 48.31 per cent of the vote share in West Coast GRC.

The People's Action Party (PAP) team was led by transport minister S Iswaran and national development minister Desmond Lee.

Tan will be the first to screen new PSP candidates

For the next GE, Tan said he would also be conducting the first round of screening for new candidates so that the party can send more high quality party members to Parliament.

"Everyone who wants to become an MP will need to let me screen his or her resume first. I want to know his or her attitude and determination," added Tan.

As GE2020 was the first GE that PSP participated, Tan said he didn't conduct a thorough check on the candidates because he was already relieved to know that people were willing to join his camp.

While the party did not win any elected seats in the end, both its secretary-general Leong Mun Wai and vice chairman Hazel Poa had successfully become Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs), which was already a ground-breaking achievement and brought publicity for the party, Tan added.

During GE2020, PSP fielded the most candidates out of all opposition parties, with a total of 24 party members contesting for seats in four GRCs and five Single Member Constituencies (SMCs).

Other topics covered during the walkabout

During the walkabout, Tan also commented on the recent spate of high-profile incidents involving members of the PAP, contending that they have resulted in an erosion of trust.

He was referring to the news of Iswaran assisting the Corruptive Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) with an investigation and the resignation of former Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and Tampines GRC MP Cheng Li Hui after revelations of an affair.

He also added that he felt "sad" over the extramarital affair between Workers' Party's members, Leon Perera and Nicole Seah.

This series of scandals has tainted the image of the entire Singapore political system, Tan said.

"Because it [affects] the whole system — our whole political system. The world looks at us as a country where we are very proud to be corruption free or whatever — a good political environment. They all think we are like that."

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Top image via Matthias Ang/Mothership